Loom.



'I'. BRINDLE.

LooM. APPLICATION FILED APB. 12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lzveztar f W Thames T. BRINDLE.

LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914-.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zzven tor.

Z 3 A fie/maui rirnle mw- T. BRINDLE.

LOOM.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914 8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

jig/H 7 b Thom/afs ra'zaZZe, Wm. @4%4 if www wmi T. BRINDLE.

LOOM.

APPLIOATION FILED 4211.12, 1912.

Patented A111228, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Mae/55%# v Zier/@7652.- y f Y @wind/5 T. BRINDLE.

. LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12I 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

a /nf Patented lApr. 28, 1914 l\l IE. l\l

'I'. BRINDLE.

:vii

s Ik fHyl In ven to r 272021106 rz'zaZe wineessee.

" rra sears ra'rnnr orrion.

THOMAS BRINDLE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT BURG'ESS, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOOM.

Leonesa.

To all 'Lo/0m t may concern Be it known that l, THOMAS BRINDLE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to looms.

The purpose of the invention is to proride a loom capable of weaving a composite fabric such as that illustrated and described in my co-pending application Serial No. (301,812, filed November 22, 1911. The term composite is used because the fabric is composed of warp strands and weft strands interwoven in the usual manner to form sclvages and relatively bulky fillings extending transversely and interwoven with the warp strands and interspersed between the weft st ands The purpose of the fabric is to utilize long blades of grass collected together in small bundles, of which each bundle forms a transverse filling, the whole fabric being essentially a grass fabric, since the warp strands and weft strands are relatively fine and not prominent and have merely the function of binding together the fillings.

The loom illustrated by the accompanydrawings and hereinafter described comprises means for shifting the warp strands to change the shed, picking mechanism for picking` a shuttle back and forth through the shed, which shuttle contains the usual weft thread, and means for taking small bundles of grass from hoppers and for depositing the bundles of grass in the desired position in the shed so that they may be interwoven.

The loom also comprises mechanism for shifting the warp strands laterally in order to cross them and interlock one with another; but the loom may be operated without this mechanism if desired, in which case the warp strands would extend in parallelism in the usual relation.

Of the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form in which the invention may be embodied: Figure 1 represents an Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

serial No. 690,305.

elevation, partly in section, of the lefthand end of the loom. Fig. 1f* represents a vertical section of the shed-forming mechanlsm. Fig 2 represents an elevation, partly m section, of the right-hand end of the loom. Fig. 2a represents, in vertical section, means for holding the work-engaging fingers of ne'beatmg-up mechanism in work-engaging position. Figs. 3 and 3a represent front elevations of the left-hand and right-hand ends respectively of the loom. These two figures may be read in conjunction with each other by placing Fig. 3a at the right` of Fig. 3. Fig. 4- represents, on a larger scale, a front elevation of a portion of the shed-forming mechanism. Fig'. 5 represents a vertical section through the structure shown by Fig. 4.. Fig. 6 represents a front elevation, partly in section, of the hoppers for fillings and the mechanism for taking the llings from the hoppers. Fig. represents a top plan view of the parts shown by Fig. 6. Fig. 8 represents a vertical section through one of the hoppers, as indicated by line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 9:l represent respectively a side elevation and edge elevation of a device for agitating and feeding the fillings in the hoppers. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 represent, on an enlarged scale, different patterns of the fabric which the loom is capable ofweaving. Fig. 13 represents a longitudinal section of the fabric. Fig. 14 represents a section through a warp-beam braking device. (See line 11i-14 of Fig. l).

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

The frame of the loom comprises, as usual, upright and pieces or standards 20, 20, which support the various mechanisms and which afford bearings for the several shafts. A stationary beam 21 connects the two frame members 2O and extends beyond them at either side, serving as a support upon which a shuttle 22 (Fig. 3a) travels. Any suitable shuttle-picking mechanism may be employed. The drawings illustrate picker sticks 23 whose lower ends are provided with rockers 24 which rock upon brackets 25 secured to the frame pieces 20. The picker sticks are connected by straps 26 to independently movable links 27. The links are connected to arms 28 which are affixed to rock shafts 29. The rock shafts are provided with arms 50 which have cam surfaces 31, which surfaces are engaged b y rolls 32 mounted upon arms 33. These arms are affixed to a continuously revolving shaft 63 and are disposed 1S() degrees from each other with reference to the axis of the shaft so that they will actuate the picker sticks alternately.

There is in this loom no lay or reed for beating up the weft or fillings. The beating-up operation is effected by the mechanism which places the fillings in the shed in position to be interwoven.

As shown by Figs. l and 2, there are two warp beams, one of which is indicated generally at and the other, at 36. rlhe warp strands which form half of the shed are taken from one of the beams, while those which form the other half are taken from the other beam. The warp strands from the beam are indicated at ai, and those from the bean 36 are indicated at y. The strands a; pass under a yoke S7 which is pivotally mounted at 38 and which normally rests upon the strands in such manner as to take up the slack. A similar yoke, indicated at 39, which is pivoted at 40, eliminates the slack from the warp strands y. Each warp beam has a friction brake for subjecting the warp strands to tension (see Fig. 14). Each brake comprises cooperative friction members and 35", and a pawl 35C, the member 35h being annular and its inner marginal portion being overlapped by the member 85a. The brake members 35d rotate with the respective beams and the members are held stationary by the pawls, ratchet teeth 35d being formed on 35" for coaction with the pawls. The degree of friction may be varied by the screws 85e which press the outer margin of the members 35 against the inner margins of 35".

rihe shed is produced by needles, shown by Figs. 3, 8a, 4 and 5. Referring especially to Figs. 4 and 5, each needle for a strand a1 is indicated at 41, and its eye is indicated at 42. All the needles 4l are affixed to a transverse bar 43 from which they depend. is shown by Fig. le, the needles for the warp strands y are indicated at 44. They all are afiixed to a transverse bar from which they extend upwardly. The needles 44 are similar to the needles 4l and are arranged to extend upwardly instead of downwardly, the two sets being thus oppositely disposed with relation to each other. The ends of the needle bar 43 are aiiixed to slides 46, while the ends of the needle bar 45 are athxed to slides 47. These slides are movable vertically upon rods or guides indicated respectively at 4S and 49. The two guide rods 48 are mounted in swinging brackets 50, and the two guide rods 49 are mounted in swinging brackets 5l. These brackets are mounted so as to swing laterally about vertical axes, the pivots thereof being indicated at 52.

The vertical movement of the needles for forming` and changing the shed is imparted tothe slides 46 and 4T by links 53 and 54. The links for the slides 46 engage c `ank pins 55,while the links 54 for the slides 47 engage crank pins 56. As shown by Figs. 8 and 3,the crank pins 56 are carried by crank arms 5T, and the arms are carried by the pins 51 The arms are compounded with gears 58 which are rotated intermittently. Rigid connection is formed between the respective gears and arms by the crank pins and the connecting links 53 engage the cranks between the gears and the arms. '.ihe gears 58 are driven by continuously revolving gears 59 which are affixed to a shaftI GO. The formation of the gears 58 and 59 is such that for each complete rotation of the gears 59 the gears 58 receive 180 degrees rotation and then remain stationary for a period suiiicient to enable the shuttle to pass through the shed. The shaft GO has a pinion 6l at the left-hand ond (see Fig. which pinion is engaged and driven by a gear (32 mounted upon the shaft 63. The gear G2, and incidentally the shaft 63, is driven by a pinion 64 on a prime power shaft G5, which is provided, as usual, with a fast pulley 66 and a loose pulley 67.

As hereinbefore stated, the loom is provided with means for shifting the needles laterally to cross the warp strands so that they will become interlocked with each other. Mechanism for thus moving the needles is shown by Figs. l and 2, and this mechanism effects the lateral crossing of the warp strands by swinging the brackets and 5l about the pivots 52. The bracket 50 at one end of the loom (see Fig. l) is provided with an arm 68, and at the other end of the loom (see Fig. 2) the bracket 5l is provided with an arm 69. These arms extend toward the rear and engage cams .70 and 7l respectively, The two cams are mounted upon a shaft\73 which is driven by a. chain 74 and sprocket wheels 75 and '76. Each cam is provided with means such as a setscrew (see Fig. l) for securing it to the shaft. iVhen it is desired to cause lateral shifting of both sets of needles, the two cams will be fastened to their, shaft by the setscrews, but when it is desired to have one or both sets of needles remain stationary as to lateral position the cam or cams will be released so that the shaft may turn without driving them. rIhis disconnectible operating means provides for varying the pattern of the fabric. When both cams are connected to the shaft they will be set so as to cause one set of needles to move to the left when the other set is moved to the right, and vice versa. Vhen` both sets of needles are shifted, the fabric produced is like that shown by Fig. 10 or like that shown by Fig. 12, depending upon the amount of movement imparted; whereas, if only one set of needles is shifted, while the other set remains stationary, a fabric such as that shown by Fig. 11 will be woven. If the throw of the cams is relatively short, a fabric shown by Fig. 10 will be woven; but if the throw of the cams is relatively long, a fabric such as that shown by Fig. 12 will be woven. The difference between the two fabrics shown by Figs. 10 and 12 is that the warp strands in the one case are shifted to a relatively slight degree, while those shown by the other figure are shifted to a relatively great degree.

The hoppers for the fillings are indicated at and 80. There are two such hoppers arranged in end to end relation. The blades of grass contained in the hoppers are indicated at 81. The length of the blades of grass is, of course, limited; so in order to provide for weaving a fabric whose width is greater than the length of a blade of grass, a plurality .of hoppers is provided and mechanism is provided for taking a bundle of units from each hopper and for laying the bundles in the shed in such relation that the ends of the units of one bundle lap the ends of the units of another bundle. Tn the present instance there are but two hoppers, thus affording two bundles of units for each filling; but the number of hoppers, and consequently the width of the woven fabric, may be increased if desired. The bottom wall 82 of each hopper is inclined7 as shown by Figs. 3a and 6, so that the righthand ends of the units in the hopper 80 overlap the left-hand ends of the units in the hopper 80. The inclinations of the bottoms 82 cause the left-hand ends of the units to rest againstthe vertical walls 83. At the left-hand end of each hopper is an opening in the front wall, Ithe openings being indicated at 84. `The units 81 are removed from the hoppers through the openings 84 by hook bars 85. There are two such hook bars, each of which is mounted in a holder 86. The cross section of the hook bars is angular, as shown by Fig. 6, in order to prevent rotation. The bars are movable longitudinally in their holders in order to enable them to enter the openings 84 and withdraw abundle of units. The holders 86 are movable transversely of the loom for the purpose of carrying tbe fillings into the necessary position, from which they may be carried forward and beaten up in the fabric. The holders 86 are mounted to slide upon a guide bar 87. A fixed distance is preserved between the two slides 86 by a connecting piece 88, this distance being 84. One end of a chain or cord 89 is attached t-o the left-hand end of theconnecting piece 88 and passes around an idle roll 90 at the left and over an idle roll 91 at the right of the loom. As shown by Fig. 2, this chain or cord passes around an cperating wheel 92 to which it is anchored. A second chain or cord 89X is likewise anchored to the wheel 92 and extends upwardly and over an idle roll 93, from which it extends to the right-hand end of the connecting piece 88. The operating wheel 92 is driven first in one direction and then in another to reciprocate the sliding holders 86 upon the guide bar or track 87. The operating wheel 92 dwells for a sufficient period at each end of its oscillatory movement to allow time for movement of the filling hooks to take the fillings from the hoppers and thereafter discharge them.

The mechanism for turning the wheel 92 first in one direction and then in the other is driven by a crank 94 which is compounded with the intermittently driven gear 58 at the right-hand end of the loom. (See Fig. The crank 94 works in a slot 95 at one end of a movable rack bar 96. This rack bar engages a pinion 9T which in turn engages and drives a gear 98 compounded with the operating wheel 92.

Then the filling hooks 85 are in line with the openings 84, they are projected through the said openings by strikers 99 which are mounted in posit-ion to engage their forward ends, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3a. strikers 99 are affixed to a rock shaft 100. The rock shaft has an arm 101 which is connected by a link 102 to one end of an' operating lever 103. This lever is p-ivoted between its ends, as indicated at 104 in Fig. 2. and its other end lies in the path of a pin or projection 105 which is carried by a sprocket wheel 106 affixed to the continuously driven shaft 63. The direction of rotation of this sprocket, as shown by Fig. 2, is counter-clockwise, from which it. will appear that the movement imparted to the operating lever 103 will cause the strikers 99 to strike the forward ends of the filling hooks and advance them into the hoppers. Return movement of the filling hooks is The caused by helical springs 107 which are comn pressed between the holders 86 and collars 108, the collars being affixed to the hook bars. Y

When the filling hooks 85 are withdrawn from the hoppers b y their springs 107 they draw out the ends of as many filling units as the barbs will hold. The ends thus drawn out are clamped against the surfaces 109 of the holders 86. rlhe holders are then moved to the left to the position which they occupy in Figs. 6 and 'i'. Vhile the holders are thus traveling to the left, the bundle of 65 equal to the distance between the openings filling units whose left-hand ends have been gripped are drawn endwise through the openings 84 so that they are entirely withdrawn from the hoppers. When the movement to the left is finished, the filling hooks are engaged by another pair of strikers which move them sumciently to release the filling units. The strikers for this purpose are indicated at 110 in Figs. 1, 3 and 7. These strikers are affixed to a sleeve 111 which is loosely mounted upon the rock shaft 100. The left-hand striker 110 has an arm 112 which is connected by a link 113 to one end of an operating lever 114 similar to that indicated in Fig. 2 at 103. The lever 114: is pivoted at 115, and its other end lies in the path of a pin or projection 116 which is carried bv a sprocket wheel 117 affixed to the continuously driven shaft 63. As shown by Fig. 1, the pin 116 is about to actuate the lever 1141, with the result of moving the filling hooks so as to release whatever filling units may be gripped thereby. The relation of the pins 105 and 116 is such that they act alternately at points 180 degrees apart in the cycle of operations.

lhen the filling units are discharged from the hooks S they drop upon a grid formed by a plurality of bars or slats 113. The rear ends of the slats lie under the point of discharge and are inclined, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2. so that the fillings will move forward and downward under the infiuence of gravity. The forward portions of the slats are horizontal. and upon them the fillings are carried forward by mechanism now about to be described.

At each end of the loom is a horizontal guide rod 119, these rods extending from front to rear. Upon each of them is a sliding` shoe 120. The two ends of a rock shaft 121 are journaled respectively in these two shoes. The rock shaft is provided with a series of fingers 122, which are interposed between the slats 11S and whose function is to push the fillings forward upon the slats. The oscillatory movement of the rock shaft 121 is to carry the free ends of the fingers 122 below the upper edges of the slats so that the fillings may pass over them, after which the rock shaft is rocked slightly in order to carry the free ends of the fingers upwardly. The shoes 120 are thereafter moved forward upon the guide rods 119, whereby the fingers are caused to push the fillings forward upon the horizontal part of the grid.

At each end of the rock shaft 121 is an arm 123. and at the lower end of each arm is a pin 124-. Each pin has an operating lever 125 which is slotted for the reception of the pin. he levers 125 are pivoted to the frame pieces at 126, and they are operated in unison, as hereinafter explained. The arms 123 on the rock shaft 121 have fingers 12T by which the oscillatory movement of the rock shaft is limited. A projection 128 on each sliding shoe 120 stands between the two fingers 127. rllhe space between the fingers 127 is sufficient to permit the desired rocking movement.

After the filling units have been discharged upon the inclined rear end of the grid and have passed ver the push fingers 122, the operating levers 125 are moved forward. The push fingers 122 are thereby tilted upwardly and toward the rear, and their upper ends thereby rise above the horizontal plane of the fillings which have just passed over them. lVhen this tilting movement is arrested by the projections 128, additional forward movement of the operating levers 125 causes the shoes to slide upon the guide rods 119, thereby causing the push fing-ers to push the fillings forward upon the horizontal part of the grid. The push fingers 122 are employed for pushing the fillings only a part of the distance through which they are carried forward, other mechanism being provided for completing the forward movement and beating the fillings into the fabric.

The beating-up mechanism7 which is the equivalent of a reed in an ordinary loom. comprises a series of hook fingers 129. These fingers are affixed to a transverse rock shaft 130 similar to the rock shaft 121. The ends of the rock shaft 130 are ournaled in sliding shoes 131 which are movable from front to rear on guide rods 132. At each end of the rock shaft 130 is an arm 133 provided with a. pin 134. Each pin engages an operating lever 135, the upper end of the lever being' forked as clearly shown in the drawings. Each arm 133 has two fingers 136 which cooperate with a projection 13T on the sliding shoe to limit the rocking movement of the shaft. By means of the mechanism just described, the beating-up fingers 129 are operated in a manner similar to the operation of the push fingers 122. In other words, when the levers 135 are moved to the rear they first lift the fingers 129, then when the movement of the rock shaft 130 is arrested by'stops 13T the sliding shoes 130 are moved to the rear upon their guide rods 132.

The operating levers 135 are affixed to a rock shaft 133 at the left-hand end of which (see Figs. 1 and 3) is an arm 165. This arm is connected by a link 166 to a crank pin 167. The crank is carried by a pinion 16S which is driven by a gear 169. The latter gear is compounded with the intermittently driven gear 5S, and imparts one complete rotation at each impulse, thus moving the hooks 129 from front to rear and return with a dwell at the front. The push fingers 122 are operated but once for each two operations of the beating-up hooks, because the only function of the push fingers is to push forward the fillings, while the beatingup hooks are operated, once to beat up a filling, and again to beat up a weft strand between two fillings. The ratio of gears 16S and 169 causes two beating-up movements for each pick of the shuttle.

The mechanism for operating the push fingers is shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 3a. A rock shaft 163 carries two arms 164 whose free ends are connected by links 146 with the operating arms 125. An arm 139 affixed to the rock shaft 1GB is connected by a link 140 with a crank pin 141. The crank pin is compounded with a gear 142 which is driven intermittently by a gear 143. The gear 143 is compounded with a sprocket wheel 144.

This sprocket wheel is driven by a chain 145 which passes over a sprocket wheel 106 hereinbefore mentioned.

Then the push fingers 122 move forward, the beating-up fingers 129 move in the opposite direction to approach them. At such time the fingers 129 are raised sufiiciently abo-ve the grid to pass over the fillings which are being pushed forward. -When the two sets of fingers reach the limits of their respective movements, the operating levers 125 and 135 are reversed, thereby causing the free ends of the fingers 129 to drop behind the filling into position to engage the same when they are carried forward. Incidentally the push fingers 122 are tilted forward so that they will be entirely below the path of the succeeding bundle of filling units discharged by the filling hooks. The fingers 129 thereafter move forward and the fingers 122 move to the rear to their initial positions. Just preparatory to each forward movement of the fingers 129 the needles are operat-ed to change the shed so that when the members are beaten up by the fingers they will be beaten against the intersecting parts of the warp strands. The pick of weft thread which is passed through the shed just prior to the insertion o-f the filling, is beaten up by another movement of the fingers 129.

The arrangement of the fingers 129 with relation to the axis of the shaft 130 and with relation to the direction of beating-up movement is such that there is a tendency for the free ends of the fingers to rise when they are completing a beating-up movement. In order to overcome this tendency and keep the free ends of the ngers well below the fabric, a device is provided for acting upon the rockshaft 130 so as to depress the free ends of the fingers. The device fo-r this purpose is illustrated at the upper right of Fig. 1, at the upper left. of Fig. 2, and by Fig. 2LL on the sheet bearing Fig. 2. A curved finger 170 afhxed to the rockshaft 130 extends forwardly and upwardly and is adapted to engage a yielding member 17 which is secured to a suitable stationary part at the front of the frame. The members 170 and 171 cooperate only when the beating-up fingers are at or near the forward extreme of their movement, at which time the resistance to the beating-up movement of the ngers is greatest. As the fingers are about to complete a beat-ing-up movement, the member 170 rides upon the upper surface of the member 171, the contacting surfaces of these two members being so inclined that the member 171 exerts upward force upon the member 170 and thus tends to depress the free ends of the fingers 129.

The hoppers in which the lling units are stored are provided with agitating means whereby the units are caused to settle in the bottom and whereby they are wiped forward toward the openings 84. For this purpose each hopper is provided with a lifting member 147. (See Figs. 7 and 8). Each lifting device comprises a bar which is L-shaped, one arm thereof extending vertically and the other extending horizontally toward the rear from the vertical arm. The vertical arm is arranged against the rear side of the front wall of the hopper and is held by guide clips 148 in which it is vertically movable. The arm which extends toward the rear is bent laterally to the right, as shown by Fig. 7. This arm rests upon a cam 149. (See Figs. 9 and 9a). The cam is formed between two disks 150, each of which has projections 151 whose function is to agitato the filling units and wipe them toward the front of the hopper. Each cam is mounted upon a shaft 152 slightly below the hopper, the shaft being eccentric with relation to the disks 150. Each hopper has an inclined bottom wall 153 whereby the lling units are kept toward the front of the hopper. This wall 153 is formed with a slot 154, which slot is at an angle corresponding to the angle of the horizontal arm of the lifting device 147. (See Fig. 7). The members 149 and 150 are arranged in the vertical planes of the slots 154 so that they will pass through the slots when the shafts 152 are driven. A sprocket wheel 155 is affixed to each shaft 152. The sprocket wheels are driven by chains 156 which pass over sprocket wheels 157 on a shaft 158. This shaft has a third sprocket, indicated in Figs. 1 and G'at 159, which is driven by a chain 160. This chain is driven by the sprocket wheel 117 hereinbefore mentioned, which is carried by the shaft 63.

The horizontal arms of the lifting devices 147 lie between the disks 150 and rest upon the cams 149 as shown by Fig. 9a. The cams and disks are driven in the direction indicated by arrows in Figs. 8 and 9. The cams lift the members 147 slowly and permit them to drop suddenly, thus agitating the filling units so that when they drop they will be defiected by the walls 153 toward the front of the hoppers. The projections 151 at the same time have a wiping action upon the filling units with which they come in contact, thereby assisting in keeping the units against the front of the hoppers.

Any suitable take-up means may be provided for winding the woven fabric. The drawings illustrate a horizontal roll 161, at the front of the loom, over which the fabric f may be drawn. The take-np mechanism is not illustrated.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting' to set forth all the forms in which it may be made or all the modes of its use, what I claim is:

1. A loom comprising means for weaving a weft strand back and forth with warp strands to form a fabric having selvages, and means for moving separate fillings longitudinally of the warp into the shed between the picks of the weft, whereby said fillings are interwoven in the fabric.

2. A loom comprising shed-forming mechanism, and means for moving separate fillings successively into the shed by movement longitudinal of the warp whereby said fillings are arranged to be interwoven with the warp.

3. A loom comprising shedforming mechanism, a magazine at the rear of said mechanism for separate llings, and means for taking fillings successively from the magazine and moving them forward into the shed in such position as to be interwoven with the warp.

4. A loom comprising shed-forming mechanism, and means for moving separate fillings into the shed by movement longitudinal of the warp and for beating up said fillings.

5. In a loom, the combination with means for picking a shuttle back and forth, of warp needles arranged in a plurality of sets for forming the shed, transverse bars for supporting the needles, means for moving said bars to change the shed, guides for guiding the shed-forming movement of said bars, and means adapted to reciprocate laterally the guides of one of said needle bars without moving the other guides to .cross the warp strands laterally.

6. In a loom, the combination with means for weaving warp and weft strands, of a magazine for separate loose filling units, means for removing a filling unit from said magazine, and for moving the same to a point of discharge, means for causing said removing means to discharge the filling units, and means for receiving the discharged filling units and for moving them bodily into the shed in position to be in terwoven with the warp strands.

7. In a loom, the combination with means for weaving warp and weft strands, a plurality of magazines for fillings, means for carrying fillings from the magazines, meansl` for actuating said carrying means to carry the fillings to a point of discharge and discharge the fillings in such relation that their ends are lapped, means for supporting the fillings discharged by said carrying means, and means for moving the fillings into position to be interwoven with said warp strands.

8. In a loom, a grid, two sets of warp members, those of one set extending through said grid between the bars thereof, shedforming means, and means whereby a filling member lying on said grid is moved into the shed by movement longitudinally of the warp so as to be interwoven therewith.

9. In a loom, a grid, two sets of warp members, those of one set extending through said grid between the bars thereof, shedforming means, movable means adapted to project between the bars of the grid for engaging a filling member lying on the grid, and means for causing said filling-engaging means to move the filling into the shed so as to be interwoven with the warp,

10. In a loom, two sources of warp members disposed one over the other, shed-forming means, bars between said sources and extending toward the shed for supporting a filling member, and means for pushing a filling member transversely of its own length along said bars into the shed in position to be interwoven with the warp.

11. In a loom, two sources of warp members disposed one over the other, shed-forming means, means for moving a filling mem ber into the shed by movement longitudinal of the warp, and means for conducting filling members vto said member-moving means.

12. In a loom, two sources of warp mem bers whereby the warp is composed of two sets of members, an inclined track for conducting filling members between the sets of warp members, shed-forming means, and means for feeding a filling member from said inclined track into the shed in position to be interwoven with the warp.

13. In a loom, two separate sources of warp members, shed-forming mechanism, means for supporting a filling member between the two sets of warp members, means for feeding a filling member along said supporting means into the shed, and inclined means for causing a filling member to gravitate tosaid feeding means.

14. In a loom, two separate sources of warp members, shed-forming mechanism, means for supporting a filling member between the two sets of warp members, inclined means for causing a filling member to gravitate to said supporting means, means for feeding a filling member from said inclined means part way toward the shed, and means for moving a filling member from said feeding means into the shed in position to be interwoven with the warp.

l5. In a loom, two separate sources of warp members, shed-forming mechanism, means for supporting a filling member between the two sets of warp members, two reciprocatory feeding devices for moving a series of filling members along said supporting means into the shed, and means for reciprocating said feeding devices so that one moves oppositely with reference to the other whereby one is caused to return for another filling member while the other is placing a filling member in the shed.

16. In a loom, two separate sources of warp nembers, shed-forming mechanism, means for supporting a filling member between the two sets of warp members, two reciprocatory feeding devices for moving a series of lling members along said supporting means into the shed, said feeding devices being disposed one in advance of the other, and means for operating said feeding devices so that one will feed a filling member to the other and the latter will move the filling member into the shed, said operating means being adapted to cause one feeding device to return for another filling member while the other feeding device is moving a filling member into the shed.

17. ln a loom, two separate sources of Warp members, shed-forming mechanism, spaced bars for supporting a filling member between the two sets of warp members, two feeding devices for moving a filling member along said supporting bars and into the shed, one of said feeding devices being in advance of the other, means for operating one of said feeding devices whereby it is projected behind a filling member from below said bars and moved toward the shed, and means for operating the other feeding' device whereby it is projected behind the filling member from above said bars and moved toward the shed.

ln testimony whereof 1 have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS BRINDLE.

Witnesses ALTER P. ABELL, P. W. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

